DENVER, CO -- George Langdon, a 60-year veteran of the vending industry, died here on July 7 at the age of 89.

Langdon, who served a number of successive terms as president of the Colorado Vending Council, is remembered for his long and effective efforts to secure equitable sales tax treatment for vending operators.

He served in the U.S. Army during World War II, and was awarded the Invasion Arrowhead with three battle stars for the campaigns in Normandy, the Ardennes and Northern France. After separating from the service, he launched a pioneering vending business in 1948, and was the first operator to run cold milk machines on a military base.

The industry veteran sold his first vending company and opened the first Orange Julius store in Wheat Ridge, CO, in 1957. He then continued his vending career with Automatic Catering and, later, as operations manager for Automatic Retailers of America (now Aramark). Langdon founded G&S Vending in 1968 and ran that company with two of his sons until he retired in 2005.

He is survived by his wife, Lucille; sons Michael, Dennis and Louis; daughter Frances; seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.